These tablets, as The Verge notes, aren't the high-end Apple and Samsung devices we've become accustomed to seeing, but rather less expensive computers that are cheaper to replace or repair (theft isn't uncommon).

As tablets in restaurants go, Chili's has become a standard bearer. They just announced the introduction of 45,000 Ziosk tablets in 800 locations.

"By this fall, guests at nearly every Chili's in the country can place orders, play games and pay their checks from our tabletop tablets," said Ziosk CEO Austen Mulinder in a statement.

Ziosk's tablets run Android OS and incorporate a camera as well as an optional receipt printer. Save bringing your meal out to you, they effectively replace servers.

E la Carte cofounder and CEO Rajat Suri argued that tablets are designed to work alongside human employees, not replace them.

"If someone does not want to spend time with a server, they’re going to ignore the server anyways," he told Business Insider. "The truth is, today even the best servers are not going to be at your table every second. The tablet plugs those gaps."

Servers seem enthusiastic about the devices.

"They're our little sidekicks, they help us do our jobs," said Tuesday, a server at Applebee's in San Francisco where they already use tablets. "A lot of customers don’t like handing over their credit card to server, so it allows them to [pay] by themselves.”

Just how much restaurants have invested into tablet technology is unclear, but if a chain like Chili's is paying $100 a pop for these (the iPad Mini starts at $299), it's still a significant investment when you're ordering 75,000 or 100,000.

Ziosk, who works with Chili's, told Business Insider that the restaurants pay a monthly fee for use of the tablets "but the revenue they generate via guests' purchases of premium content more than offsets the cost."

Applebee's has hinted toward adding functionality down the road, suggesting that tablets are more than just an industry fad.

"During the next 18 months, enhanced functionality, such as video streaming, music, additional games, social media interaction with Applebee’s active Facebook community and personal pages, sharing, gift card sales and more, will be added," said their press release.

These enhancements are geared toward increasing customer satisfaction and driving up revenue. Patrons are far more like to buy a restaurant gift card or buy dessert if they're pleased with their dinning experience at the end of the meal.

"The machines automatically suggest a tip of 20 percent; you can go lower than that (or higher), but you'll need to actively decide to make that change," reports The Atlantic. "Chili's is finding the same thing that New York City taxis have: Default settings are, behavioral economics-wise, powerful."

This tablet tsunami suggests waiters might not be getting the job done.